A problem for many African states after gaining independence was tension between the indigenous population and the settler groups who had usually held power and privilege in the colonial period. Tanzania largely escaped this problem, the main explanation being the relatively small size of the settler groups. Nyerere cited this as the reason for the relatively painless way in which his country had made the transition from colony to independent state (see Source X).
SOURCE X
According to Source X, what is the connection between Tanganyika’s racial make-up and the achievement of independence?
Excerpt from an interview given by Nyerere in March 1961, quoted in Two African Statesmen by John Hatch, published by Secker & Warburg, London, uK, 1976, p. 143.
Many things have combined to give us in Tanganyika the success we have achieved. One is the fact that being a Trust Territory, we did not attract large numbers of settlers; and so, although we are classified among the so-called multi-racial societies, the settlers did not have actual power. Thus when we began organizing for independence, we could direct our struggle against the colonial powers as such and not against a European minority in Tanganyika.
Asian-Indians
In 1961, European and Asian settlers made up barely 1 per cent of the Tanzanian population of 10.5 million. Their low numbers encouraged the new government to offer them citizenship provided they were prepared to accept it on Tanzanian terms; they would have to forego their former political privileges, but they would not suffer discrimination. The great majority of the 77,000 Asian-Indians, whose occupations were mainly in shop-keeping and small-scale commerce in the urban areas, chose to stay. Even though some 30 per cent of Asian-owned businesses were taken over during Nyerere's nationalization programme, this did not result in significant migration from Tanzania; the Asians who were affected judged that it was better to adapt to the change, since no other African country offered better prospects.
Europeans
The majority of European settlers, who were mainly British also stayed. Their motive was economic. They calculated correctly that the new nation needed their continuing contribution. Many of them were large farmers and businessmen, whose skills and experience Nyerere and TANU were eager to use. Such was the confidence of the Europeans that they would flourish in Nyerere's new nation that their numbers increased from 10,000 to 22,000 between 1958 and 1968 as new settlers arrived attracted by the economic opportunities. Villagization did present some difficulties for the settlers when land distribution in the 1960s involved encroachment on European-owned Farms. But the issues were resolved relatively amicably and there was little lasting settler resentment. There was certainly no sustained government effort to interfere with European interests. Nyerere had always said that he would not allow racism to operate in independent Tanzania. He kept his word. There was no overt ethnic discrimination.
World History
